Memory: Volume 2, Trials to Bear, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice)

by Wells, Linda

  “Can Mary?” He chuckled and nudged her slipper with his boot. She threw a bit of paper at his nose and hit him. Darcy picked the ball out of his neck cloth and aimed it back at her nose. “Your aim is improving.”

  “Snowballs.” She laughed and he gave a long sigh then smiled at her.

  “What of Netherfield?”

  She let out her own dramatic sigh. “I want to support him, but … Well we would not be at Longbourn.”

  “What shall I tell him, love?” Darcy leaned forward. “I leave it to you. My headaches are nearly gone.”

  She spoke very seriously. “If my family dares hurt you …”

  Darcy took her hand and kissed it. “I think that it will be …tolerable.” Elizabeth caressed the fringe of hair from his eyes and he kissed her lips gently. “He needs us.”

  “Very well. I cannot deny the truth of that.”

  “GOOD MORNING BABY GIRL.” Fitzwilliam whispered and smiled happily when her fist wrapped around his finger. “Good morning my little Annabel Pearl. And good morning my beautiful wife.”

  “You are a silly fool, Richard.” Evangeline whispered. They kissed and looked down at their baby.

  “Do you know what today is?” He wiggled his brows.

  “I believe that it is the fourth day of February.” She protested when his lips began nibbling her throat. “Richard, behave!”

  “What, my good wife, is the significance of this day?” He pressed his nose to hers and kissed her lips.

  “This is our daughter’s Christening day. It is so kind of Stephen and Alicia to agree to be her godparents. It is a miracle that he is allowing her to travel to the church, with her due anytime this month.”

  “You are toying with me. Very well then, I will play your game.” He sat up straight. “Well, since we are the godparents to Margaret I suppose that it was only right to ask them for Annabel. Perhaps we might ask Darcy and Elizabeth next time.” He beamed at her and fell back to nibbling her neck. “And happy day, we may begin working on that miracle this very afternoon!”

  Evangeline batted him away. “I sincerely hope you are not serious!”

  “What do you think?” He chuckled and kissed her. “Oh Eva, I have missed you. Have you not missed me?”

  “Maybe a little.” She said grudgingly and laughed when he immediately covered her face in kisses. “Yes, you mountain of a man, I have missed you. I am anticipating the churching ceremony as much as you.” He kissed her soundly. Annabel let go and yawned. “Good girl.” She lifted her up and stroked her back. “Your mother has not said a word about my feeding her.”

  “Why, I wonder.” He peeked around her shoulder and made faces at the baby, who blinked and closed her eyes.

  “I think that I made a great many threats to her while I was labouring.” Evangeline laughed at his antics. “She is not interested, dear.”

  “Let me hold her.” He asked and held out his arms. Carefully the transfer was made and he cuddled her to his chest. “My pretty girl.” He looked up and sighed. “Everyone should be this happy.” Suddenly his brow creased and he made a face. “Eva …”

  “Yes, dear?” She pursed her lips.

  “Um … she is … oh Eva she is wet!”

  She peeked over at their soundly sleeping baby and looked up at his disconcerted face. “So she is.”

  “What do I do?”

  “Maybe we should call the maid?”

  “Um … Eva?”

  “Hmm?”

  “It is not just wet now.” He looked very uncomfortable.

  Evangeline kissed him and stood. “Come, Papa.”

  “Eva …” He held out the baby. “Please?” She laughed and walked away. Fitzwilliam sighed and rose to his feet. “I have learned a lesson, I think.”

  “WHOA!” Darcy cried and grabbed his hat before it flew from his head. “Slow down, Lizzy!”

  “Oh for heaven’s sake, we are barely crawling along!” She turned her head to smile at him and he gently turned her head forward. “Yes dear, the horse goes where I am looking.”

  “Precisely.” Darcy smiled at her warmly and watched as she flicked the reins. “You are making me quite proud.”

  “I am?”

  He watched the blush spreading up over her already pink face. “Oh yes. You have taken to driving very quickly.” He firmly pulled her arms down and smiled at her glance. “There is no need to raise your arms, love, you are properly seated. I do not want you to be sore when we return home.”

  “I know.” She sighed and looked out over the head of the trotting pony. “I look forward to the spring when we may try the barouche.”

  Darcy chuckled and rubbed her back, encouraging her to sit straight. “I do, too. Although I think that I should probably start you with a gig.”

  “Why?” She demanded.

  “Because it is much less expensive to replace.”

  “Do you think that I will have an accident?” She turned and stared.

  “No … Well, if you do not stop staring at me and pay attention to the path, you just might wind up in the lake. Fortunately it is frozen.” He went to grab the reins of the sleigh and she gasped as he redirected the animal and blushed again. “Sit tall, love.”

  “Yes, Fitzwilliam.” She peeked at him to see that he was still wearing his little smile. “I do like this.”

  “I know, but you must promise me again that you will never ever go alone.” He moved next to her and slipped his arm around her waist. “You could not have done this a few years ago. You lacked the confidence. And you need that to assure the horse that you are in charge.”

  “I am confident now?”

  “Oh yes my wonderful mistress of Pemberley. I find it extraordinarily attractive.” Darcy whispered warmly against her ear, then expertly, he took the reins out of her grasp, snapped them and they took off at a much faster and smoother pace across the snow, heading for the edge of the woods where he brought the horse to a halt. “Care to visit your tree?”

  “I would, very much.” He tied off the horse and helping her down, they walked along the path through the silent forest. “It seems only the deer and rabbits have been here.” She nestled against his thick coat as his arm held her securely to his side. “I feel that we are intruders in a silent cathedral. It is so beautiful.”

  “I love how the sunlight glistens off of the ice.” He whispered. “It sparkles like your eyes.” Pausing, he dipped his head to gently caress her lips, then turning, lifted her chin to stare at her before kissing her pink cheeks and press his lips to her cold nose. She laughed and he smiled before returning to her mouth. Moulding their bodies together, their lips and tongues tasted and explored. They ended the kisses embraced and with her head resting against his chest. Darcy drew a long deep breath and stared out at the endless trees. “I am so glad that we came out here today. This is a very welcome day of warmth. I have missed our little adventures.”

  “I have, too.” Elizabeth murmured and he laughed when she kissed his chin. “What is it?”

  “Ohhhh that nose is very cold.”

  “So is yours, but I am not complaining. After all, yours is so much larger than mine!”

  “Careful, love. I might just have to run my cold hands up your warm legs!” He threatened.

  Elizabeth gave him a pointed look of warning and he held up his hands in contrition. “Do you know what I would like to do when we return?” They started walking again. “I want to sit in front of the fire in the library, some scandalously fortified hot toddy at our sides,” he chuckled, “a few good books and a warm blanket nearby, and curl up in your arms, ignore it all, and kiss you silly.”

  “And how will you know when I have been sufficiently kissed to be declared silly?”

  “I think that when our jaws ache as much as our desire.”

  “I think that I am quite there, now.” They kissed and he saw her brows rise. “I would love that. What of Mary?”

  “She is not invited.”

  “Thank you.” He laughe
d softly and they exchanged smiles. “De Bourgh is counting the days until we arrive at Rosings.”

  “He has six weeks to go.”

  “A little more. We have to wait for the girls to be free of school for Easter.” Darcy focussed and thought. “Easter is the fourteenth of April.”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth smiled and saw the flicker of relief appear in his eyes for remembering. “So you would like to arrive at the end of March?”

  “Yes, that gives us time with whatever we need to accomplish before you have all of the girls, and I can take care of a little business, catch up with our friends and family, then we may go on. Everyone is in town now.”

  “For Alicia.” Elizabeth said softly and he nodded, looking ahead to the glade.

  “Ah, there it is.” He looked down and smiled. “You see, the tree is quite safe, and taller than ever. Do you remember insisting that we come out here and visit last year? It took everything in me to hold my tongue and bear with you. I wonder if all of your pregnancies will make you so …” He stopped when she looked up at him. “Fascinating.”

  “That was not the word at the tip of your tongue.”

  Darcy wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her. “Taste my tongue and see what word comes to you.” They spent many long minutes kissing in the warmth of the bright sunshine that flooded their private sanctuary. Darcy felt her shiver, and opening up his coat, helped her inside, enclosing her in the safety of its folds while she clung to him and they continued to kiss. At last they stopped for air and he held her tightly, rubbing her back, and wondering how to start the conversation. “I received another letter from Richard.”

  “I saw that.” She whispered and drank in his warm, comforting scent. “Is he still silly and ecstatic?”

  “He is ridiculous in his joy. At seven weeks of age, Annabel has him lost. I would laugh at him, except that I am equally guilty of being a ridiculously proud Papa. I fear that our letters from now on will contain only passing references to news and instead be filled with competing declarations over the wonders of our daughters and the glory of our wives.” Darcy felt her squeeze and he chuckled. “He still was going on over being present at the birth, I suppose that is because Layton and Alicia arrived for her confinement, and it brought back his memories of wonder.” He looked at the tree where Elizabeth had reclined and remembering Rosalie’s birth; hugged her tightly and swallowed hard. “Wonder hardly describes what we experienced here.”

  Elizabeth lifted her head and they kissed again. He tasted tears on her cheeks and kissed them away before she settled back against him. He sighed and continued. “He reminded me of the wager we have amongst the cousins, who will have the first boy.” She stiffened and his eyes closed. “I suppose that it is up to Alicia in the next few weeks to see if it still stands. I read your journal, you laugh at us men.”

  She spoke against his chest. “How can I not? Betting on the sex of a baby!”

  “Oh come, love, it is a fascinating wager!” Darcy hugged her, rocking them a little. “Months of anticipation!”

  “And what does the winner receive?”

  “A son, of course.” He smiled and felt her squeeze.

  “I see through you, now.” Elizabeth looked up at him. “You heard me talking to Rosa about a baby brother.”

  “Yes.” Darcy loosened his hold enough to look down at her. “What concerns you, love?”

  His soft gaze was all she needed to let her worries come pouring out. “For some strange reason, I felt relief that Eva had a girl, but now it is Alicia’s turn again … Again, Fitzwilliam! Their daughter is not even a year old and she is about to give him … Mr. Harwick was so happy to have a son. He said that he would love any child, but I remember when he first wanted to court Jane, he said that he wished to marry solely to have an heir.” Darcy’s brow creased. “And that is my most important duty, to give you your heir.”

  “Your most important duty is to love me. Whatever follows is a blessing.”

  Elizabeth caressed his cheek. “Fitzwilliam, I know that you wish for a son.”

  His gaze stayed with her eyes. “I do, and maybe he will come one day, and if you gift me with any more children I will be thrilled whatever the sex. I will gladly love a second girl; after all, I am forever grateful for the second daughter I married.” He smiled and then looked down when he saw Elizabeth’s eyes well up. “Lizzy.” He lifted her chin and kissed her, then wiped the tear away with his thumb.

  “Sometimes Will, you say something that melts my heart.”

  “Well then I will have to work to say things that melt you more often.” He kissed her nose and her cheek and smiled while caressing her jaw. He spoke softly. “I wish for a son. Of course I do. What do you ask, love?”

  “When?”

  He laughed. “Today.” Seeing her serious expression, he sighed. “Whenever it happens. I hope that you do not feel pressure because of my wishing.”

  “I know that I must give you a son.”

  “Elizabeth …”

  “No Will, I must. I am not parroting Mama, I know that it is what Pemberley requires.” She looked at the tree where Rosalie was born. “I will stop feeding Rosa entirely.”

  “No, dearest.” He shook his head. “You will feed her as long as you wish; I do not believe that the few times a day that you still feed our baby has any effect on your ability to become with child anymore. Besides this is your desire to feed her for one year; if I was so concerned I never would have agreed to you doing this in the first place. I would have listened to those supposedly learned men at the Foundling Hospital who proclaimed that a woman is not fit enough to understand how to manage the feeding of her own child.” 13

  “What foolish man said that?” She gasped. “A woman does not … oh that is ridiculous! Must everything of me be managed by a man?” Darcy looked down and she sighed. “Forgive me.”

  “I do not make the laws or even agree with them all, Elizabeth.”

  “And I was not grouping you with them. Oh Will I just feel obliged to try.”

  “I think that we try quite often. And I fully intend to be trying quite vigorously when we return home, what better way is there to warm?” He smiled and kissed her when her cold pink cheeks blushed warm and red. “What has you worried? Is it Alicia?”

  “She did not feed Margaret, and here she is about to give birth again.”

  “May I point out that Audrey is not in the family way and she did the same as Alicia?”

  “Yes.” She sighed.

  “And Jane is not with child and she has been married for well over half a year?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well then? There is no hurry, Elizabeth. Stop worrying and just love the baby we have now. If a son comes, I will be overjoyed. If I have a houseful of women …” He laughed, “Well then I will be taking many long rides alone.”

  “We would just come after you.” She sniffed.

  Darcy smiled and hugged her. “You know, to see you so weepy in this particular spot, I would be willing to wager that you are with child again this very moment. After all, you did spend a solid nine months sobbing into your handkerchief. Or my coat; or whatever other convenient bit of cloth was available.” He laughed when she looked up and glared at him. “You see? You have been holding this worry inside of you and it grew. Stop worrying, our child will come.” He kissed her soundly. “And I promise to be insufferably proud of little Fitzwilliam.”

  “Oh … Will, I dearly love your name, but one Fitzwilliam in the family is quite enough.” She smiled and he stared at her with his eyebrows raised. “Truly love, what would we call him? Willie?”

  “NO!”

  “Well, it would have to be distinguished from you. I suppose that William would do.”

  “William is a common name.” He sniffed.

  “But think of all the great men we know who possess that name!” Elizabeth warmed to the subject as his reassurance filled her heart. “There is Sir William Lucas, and William Collins, and …”

&
nbsp; “I am utterly convinced, NO.” He ran his hands over her back and they kissed again. “Dearest, is it too cold to try to conceive a baby right now?”

  “In the snow?” She gasped and looked around them. “You are not serious?”

  He pressed his hips forward and rubbed. “What do you think?”

  “Will …”

  “Over here!” He pulled her across the glade to a fallen tree and stood behind her. “I will keep you very, very warm.” Darcy’s eyes were dark but they twinkled.

  “I cannot believe … Fitzwilliam Darcy, you are insane!” Elizabeth laughed as he pulled off one glove with his teeth and opened his breeches, then lifted the back of her coat and skirt. “Ohhhh, it is cold!”

  “Shhhh!” Securing his feet in the snow, he leaned forward and slid home. “Sooooo warm!!!” He growled while he manoeuvred his hips and let his coat cover them both. “Dearest stop laughing!” He laughed and hugged her. “Lizzy!”

  “I cannot help it, Will!” She looked back to him and he kissed her. “This is the silliest thing we have ever done. This not going to work, it is too cold!”

  “I know.” He smiled and sighed; reluctantly moving away from her. “However, I succeeded in my goal. I got you to laugh. Do you feel better, love?”

  “How could I not?” Elizabeth turned and fixing their clothes, settled into his arms. They remained in the clasp, kissing as steady puffs of their breath froze and swirled around their heads.

  “Are you warm now?”

  “Soooooooo warm.” Snuggling against him, she whispered. “Let us go home.”

  “Before the warmth wears off?” He murmured and tightened his embrace.

  “No, so that we get cold again.” Elizabeth’s eyes were sparkling and she laughed to see his brow crease. “So that we have to warm again.”

  “Toddies in the library?”

  “mmm, and Fitzwilliam in the bedchamber.”

  “I will drive.” He said immediately and started pulling her towards the path. When she laughed, he grinned. “Come on!”

  “WHERE IS SHE MISS LYDIA?” Miss Edwards demanded.